


College Daze

by Cerberus_Revised



Category: Junjou Romantica, Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi
Genre: Angst, Drunk Sex, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Rare Pairings, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-19 03:12:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7342330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerberus_Revised/pseuds/Cerberus_Revised
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four young men with wounded hearts, one drunken college party. Deep regrets all around. </p><p>This story was done for a reader request. 143yaoifangirl sent in the suggestion of a Hiroki and Takano pairing and I thought "Damn… that's a hot idea…" This is not PWP... Not really. But the piece does have a significant sex scene between Hiroki and Takano.</p><p>Originally posted beginning 11/28/2011 over at Fanfiction.net under my penname "Don't Preach."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Arrivals

**Author's Note:**

> In my correspondence with 143yaoifangirl, it was arrived at, that for a switch, Takano would end up playing uke to Hiroki's seme. (So, if you can't handle versatility, or have issues with antics outside your OTP, you have been warned.)
> 
> The premise is that it takes place in college before either Hiroki or Takano has their permanent partner and their encounter is a onetime thing... This story takes place during Takano's lost years when he's still reeling from Oda/Onodera's disappearance. Meanwhile, Hiroki is acting out in that "sordid" way mentioned in the Shinoda chapter as a means of dealing with his longings for Akihiko. I also have Takahashi Takahiro attending "M" University in this piece. I know in the manga he wasn't able to go, but in my version he was accepted and started his first semester and then had to withdraw when his parents died and he became responsible for his little brother, Misaki.
> 
> Hope you like it…. Also, please excuse the poor title. While the premise inspired me, the title muse abandoned me.

 

**Disclaimer: I do not own Junjou Romantica or Sekai ichi Hatsukoi or any of their characters.**

* * *

 

* * *

Hiroki got out of Akihiko's car and slammed the door just hard enough to let his best friend know that he was not pleased. Akihiko's pale eyes narrowed  at the sound. The car was brand new, just purchased with the first allowance from the trust his grandfather in England had set up for him.

Looking over and noting Akihiko's disapproving stare, Hiroki dropped his eyes; a slight blush rose in his cheeks. His first inclination was to apologize but what came out instead was: "I still don't see why you had to choose red, Akihiko. It's so obvious."

Akihiko pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and tapped one out. "I chose it because it pleased me, Hiroki. Nothing wrong with a guy getting what he wants… You should try it some time."

Hiroki felt his cheeks grow even hotter at these words.

 _If only I could_.

The problem was, however, that what he really wanted, more than anything, was Akihiko. Even now his fingers twitched reflexively. Damn how they longed to be traveling over the contours of his best friend's lean, muscular body.

_No way in hell that's happening._

Slipping his traitorous hands into his pockets, Hiroki raised his head. Akihiko had come around and was now leaning slightly on the side of the car smoking his cigarette.

_He looks so god damn gorgeous._

Raw sensuality and a carefully cultivated nonchalance radiated like a halo from Akihiko. Hiroki allowed himself the exquisite torture of at least allowing his eyes to roam over his friend. He started with Akihiko's extraordinary hair, his bangs slightly lifting in the cool spring evening breeze.

If one was inclined to ask him, he could name the exact day that Akihiko's thick mane had begun slipping from the white-gold of their childhood into the rich silver tones it now carried. It was just one entry in his extensive and ongoing silent cataloging of his unrequited.

Hiroki's dark gaze drifted down over Akihiko's beautiful face, the thick lashes, amazing purple-hued gaze, and high cheekbones. His eyes traced the mouth that he'd so often imagined covering with his own lips. Or, if he was feeling more sordid, which occurred far more often than he'd ever admit, his cock.

Hiroki felt both his heart and his groin pulse painfully at this thought.

In his tailored clothes, Akihiko always looked impeccable. Even when attempting to appear casual, his aristocratic upbringing bled through. It was something the young author couldn't hide any more than he could his peculiar genius. But Hiroki knew too that the way Akihiko dressed was part of his personal armor, just as he was also aware that so was the gaudy color of the car he had just bought.

However, this knowledge did little to diminish the effect Akihiko had on him. Regardless of whatever subconscious motives dictated Akihiko's choices, the maddening fact remained that he wore everything well.

Hiroki pushed his hands deeper into his pockets. Although they had been raised in the same social circles, he always felt so shabby standing next Akihiko.

"Tell me again what we're doing here?" he asked petulantly, despite being well aware of the answer.

"Takahiro invited us to join him at this party." Akihiko pushed himself up off of the car. "You know, Old Man, you didn't have to come if you didn't want to. I know how much you hate social events like this."

"You hate these things just as much as I do…" Hiroki fired back.

"Ah, yes, but one has a duty to support his friends. Don't you think?" Though his tone was bored, Akihiko's usually stoic face had begun glowing at the thought of Takahashi Takahiro.

The _Economics Club_ at "M" University had a staunch reputation of proudly being an "elite" network, dominated by the sons of CEOs, directors and Takahiro had been accepted into their ranks was quite a coup for the average youth. Tonight the club was having its celebratory party, welcoming its newest members, and their inductees had been encouraged to invite guests.

Hiroki had been with Akihiko when Takahiro had come to extend the invitation and knew he'd only been invited out of Takahashi's unbearable sense of politeness.

_Fucking Takahiro!_

Falling into step alongside Akihiko, Hiroki started towards the towering apartment building.

The party was being held in the swank apartment of the club's president, a lavish three-bedroom suite in a fashionable high-rise. As they drew nearer to the complex Hiroki's attention was blessedly diverted from his heartache for a moment. His gaydar immediately blipped as they passed by two striking, dark-haired youths loitering at the entrance he and Akihiko were approaching. Both young men were smoking.

Though equally handsome, Hiroki noticed one of the young men in particular. He had shaggy black hair and warm amber eyes that glinted through the thin-framed glasses he wore.

_I wish I looked half as good in my specs._

Hiroki had moved on to thinking of how utterly unfair it was that some people got to be so damn tall, when the fellow standing next to the subject of his appraisal raised his eyes and caught his gaze.

Though the guy's face did not alter from the bored scowl it was wearing, steel gray eyes told a whole other story: _he's taken,_ was their clear communication.

Holding the other's glare just long enough to let him know he was not easily threatened, Hiroki at last looked away and continued to follow Akihiko into the building.

* * *

"Tell me again why we're here, Masamune," Yokozawa growled around his cigarette as his gaze followed the brunet who had been obviously checking his friend out. He watched the man disappear into the building.

"Free liquor... and not the cheap shit you've been bringing over." Takano stubbed his smoke into the outside ashtray.

"Do you even know anyone at this party?"

Though he had a reputation for being a bit of a bull, Yokozawa also had a strong sense of manners. Crashing someone's event particularly at a swank place like this made him uneasy. Not to mention that, although his own consumption of alcohol was notably high and perhaps more frequent than it should be, he had been harboring considerable concern lately about Takano's increasing alcoholic intake.

"Well, a friend of one of the members told me about it… I consider that practically an invitation."

Takano slipped his glasses off and into his pocket as he said this. He'd donned them to study the GPS in his phone when they were trying earlier to determine the party's exact location As he took off his glasses a wisp of it caught on the breeze and was lifted up off his forehead further disrupting his already handsomely disheveled hair .

Seeing this, Yokozawa tightened his grip on his dwindling cigarette and fisted the hand currently in his jacket pocket. It was all he could do not to reach up and gently brush the stray strand down. Smoothing things out, trying to keep Takano together, had become his full time job of late. And as the weight of the responsibility he felt for his heart-broken friend increased, in equal measure so did his love.

Instead of touching Takano, Yokozawa snorted as he stubbed out his fag. "I can't believe you pulled me into doing something so reckless, Masamune." He hardened his gray eyes into an angry glare.

Takano stared easily back. He'd known Yokozawa long enough his friend's gruff exterior didn't fool him in the least.

"Why think of it as reckless when you can think of it as an adventure instead?" Takano ended this challenge with a chuckle, knowing that Yokozawa would never back down from a charge. "Besides," he added with considerably less humor. "It's a much needed diversion."

Yokozawa frowned. The pain in Takano's eyes that he'd hoped his care had begun to finally extinguish had rekindled and he realized with a renewed sense of loss that, despite all his best efforts, Takano's torment was burning fever-bright again tonight.

"I know I am going to regret this." Yokozawa sighed, sticking his empty hand into his jacket pocket. "I swear, Masamune, first sign of trouble we're leaving and if you get too drunk, I'm not carrying your ass home again like last time… Got it?" His voice was as brusque as his heart was tender.

Takano clapped his arm around his shoulder and Yokozawa's breath caught at the familiar touch.

"What would I do without my enforcer?" Takano's laugh was heartfelt this time, the heavy weight in his voice momentarily lifted.

Shaking his shoulders, Yokozawa stretched out his elbows pushing Takano away. "Get off, idiot!" he growled, though what he really wanted more than anything was to linger under the lean arm that had just held him. It pained him to observe this rough rejection didn't faze Takano in the least.

Instead, Takano plunged on determinedly ahead of his scowling friend. Pushing open the door into the building, he turned back over his shoulder. "Just pretend like you belong here, Takafumi, that's the key to a crasher's success."

"I'm not sure how successful I really want us to be." Still, despite the deep sigh he exhaled Yokozawa squared his shoulders and followed Takano into the building.


	2. Revelations

 

* * *

As soon as they entered the party, Akihiko and Hiroki split up: Akihiko went looking for Takahiro and Hiroki went looking for alcohol.

Despite the fact the apartment was relatively crowded, Hiroki made his way to his goal easily. The makeshift bar was located at a counter dividing the kitchen from the spacious main room and had an actual bartender manning it. While he waited for his drink, he glanced around and noticed several uniformed servers bearing trays of various trifles. Leaning back against the counter, his keen eyes took everything in.

_Quite a swank affair for a college student._

Trying to drown his bitter musings, he downed his first drink quickly. It wasn't enough, however, to keep him from reflecting on his own circumstances while he waited for his second.

Despite the wealth of his upbringing, he was living more than modestly at the moment, paying for his schooling and his apartment from a small trust an uncle had left for him. Hiroki felt very fortunate in this, however, as his father had cut him off financially immediately following high school because he didn't agree with his life choices.

Hiroki received his refilled glass and consumed his second drink more slowly.

While he had never been particularly overt, his father suspected suspected his nature long before Hiroki had even ever considered putting words together to describe his inclinations. But, although his father knew, Hiroki hadn't been cut off because he was gay. Though the senior Kamijou wasn't pleased about it, he'd grudgingly accepted his son's sexuality. Hiroki's father's younger brother (the one who had left him the trust) had been gay too, after all. It appeared this was why his uncle had made him the beneficiary of his estate: another man who'd recognized his nature before Hiroki ever confirmed it.

No, the reason his father had cut his only child off was because Hiroki was determined to pursue literature and not business. That he would not provide the Kamijou clan with a successor, Kamijou Hiromasa had reluctantly conceded. While disappointed, he took comfort in the fact there were other more prolific Kamijou branches bursting with fruit from the family tree. What Hiromasa could not make peace with, however, was that his only son also had no desire to work for the family company.

If Hiroki had been able to swallow his pride and set his passion to the side, make literature a hobby rather than some yet undetermined vocation, he knew he could have found himself with a similar setup as the one he now stood in. But just the thought of living his life in corporate society made Hiroki's head ache immediately and sent a sick shiver coursing down his spine.

Diverting from this depressing line of thought, Hiroki felt his eyes magnetically drawn across the room to where Akihiko was now engaged in a lively conversation with the Takahashi boy, Takahiro. This shift in his melancholic focus only exacerbated the ache in his chest.

_So, he found him. Damn._

Hiroki watched Akihiko laugh at something Takahiro said, the bright-skinned asp of envy snaked through his gut before sinking its venomous fangs into his heart. Then Akihiko brought out _that_ smile: the one that made Hiroki's heart stop and his cock start, the one his unrequited seemed to reserve only for Takahiro.

Tipping his glass back, he downed the last of the rich scotch he'd been served. At the burn of the alcohol scorching his throat, he knew he was being reckless consuming so much in such a short time: he'd been so immersed in his studies that day that he'd forgotten to eat again. It was a bad habit he was forming, now that he was on his own and out from under his mother's watchful eye.

Setting his glass down on the bar once more, the bartender refilled it without raising an eyebrow at his rapid consumption. Then Hiroki turned back to observe Akihiko some more. This time nursing his drink with the same painful deliberation he nursed his unreturned love.

* * *

"You better wipe that guilty face off, Yokozawa," Takano chided as he took off his shoes in the entry. He handed his coat to the attendant who exchanged the jacket for a pair of guest slippers. "Unless you want us getting thrown out before we even get into the main room."

"This is the only face I have, Masamune." Yokozawa muttered under his breath, "it might be better anyway if we got kicked out now and saved the embarrassment of having it happen later."

Takano heard these last words despite the low volume but chose to ignore them. He gave a low whistle as they stepped into the main room. He helped himself to a hors d' oeuvre from a passing tray. "Some digs, eh?" he said lightly as he popped the tidbit into his mouth.

Yokozawa frowned.

Albeit dysfunctional, Takano had been raised in a family of means, while his own upbringing had been far more humble. Though he hid it well, such a plush environment made Yokozawa uneasy. Rather than admit any of this, however, he turned his discomfort back on Takano.

"Tell me again how many beers you had before I came to pick you up?"

Takano glanced back at his friend but said nothing as they moved further into the room. Then he turned away again and did his usual quick scan of his surroundings.

Yokozawa gritted his teeth: it was the same no matter where they went. _Always looking, on the off chance that "He" might be here somewhere._

"You're such a good mama, Takafumi, looking out for me." Takano purposely did not look at his sober-eyed chaperone. His tone was teasing, "that's why Sorata loves you so much, you know? He can tell a soft touch when he sees it."

Grinning, Takano left his fuming friend standing alone and moved out into the crowd to mingle.

Observing how his self-designated charge immediately turned on his charm, Yokozawa marveled at how Takano blended in effortlessly with the other students, the invited party-goers quickly pooling around him. It had been long-evident to him that  Masamune was a natural leader when he wasn't so broken he. With his good looks and forceful personality, when he wanted to be pleasant, people were drawn to Takano like moths to a flame.

_If they only knew the bite beneath that bright smile..._

Just as easily as he could be charming, Takano could be hard and abrasive too, and both of these were aspects he often displayed. But, there was also another side of Takano, one seldom revealed, that was remarkably tender. Yokozawa felt privileged that Takano had shared this with him once or twice. Knowing that part of his unrequited only made his anger burn all that brighter for the stupid boy who'd broken his heart.

As for himself, while he had worked hard to cultivate a presentable demeanor and he could pull that mask on in a pinch, Yokozawa had always been too serious and bad tempered to be popular. Not that he minded that much. Though he wouldn't have ever openly admitted it; it was easier for him to be feared than to be liked. Not that he didn't desire the later, but when people drew back or were slightly afraid of him, in his opinion, it made things much less complicated.

Still, as always, he was here tonight for Takano. So Yokozawa tried to adjust his expression as he shoved his hands into his pockets and strode out into the party to join his oblivious ward.

* * *

Lost in thought, Hiorki's brow furrowed when Akihiko leaned over to straighten a blushing Takahashi's tie. He shook his head at how careless Akihiko was sometimes with his displays of affection.

_Doesn't the idiot know how easily a simple action can be misconstrued, or what difficulties might arise if such a moment is observed by the wrong person?_

"Oi, Kamijou! Is that you?"

Looking up, Hiroki saw the familiar face of Kudo Ryuu. Kudo was a year older and had been on the kendo team with him in high school. Their fathers were business associates as well, so growing up, he had spent numerous hours with Kudo at various social business functions. Kudo was a hale and hearty youth. Last that Hiroki had heard, he was majoring in Finance and, at nineteen, already engaged to a girl from a respected and prominent family. But then, for as long as Hiroki had known him, Kudo had been the epitome of a good son. In this, the guy had always secretly pissed him off.

"Kudo-san." Hiroki raised his glass in salutation. He could feel the alcohol even now softening his edges.

"Haven't seen you for a while, Kamijou-kun," Kudo greeted. "I'm surprised to see you here among all these business types. From what my mother told me, it sounded as though these days you'd chosen _the path less taken_."

Hiroki's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the young man in front of him. Despite the friendly tone, if it hadn't been for the context of the comment, he would have questioned whether Kudo was talking about his chosen course of study or his orientation.

"I'm here for Takahashi-san."

Kudo's expression darkened perceptibly. "You're a friend of his then?"

"Not really." Hiroki sighed, suddenly realizing that the drinks he'd consumed were making him more honest already. He motioned over towards Akihiko, who was standing with a few other young men with old money polish, while Takahiro gaped on in open admiration.

"Still hanging around with that weird kid, Usami, eh?" Kudo's tone had grown considerably colder since their initial greeting.

Hiroki realized suddenly that the stalwart Finance major had been drinking too and as a result his usually slick veneer was a bit thin. Despite the fact he didn't wish to start a quarrel, he found himself immediately bristling at the unkind designation of Akihiko.

In a voice equally cool he replied, "I'll have you know that 'weird kid' is already a published author and his first novel has recently been nominated for several awards."

Kudo snorted at this. "Yeah, well... I wonder, if he wasn't an Usami, if he would have found his way to success quite so easily."

Hiroki blanched at these rude words, but before he could offer a heated defense on the merits of Akihiko's work, Kudo continued, "and the Usami name doesn't just work for family apparently."

Seeing the confused look on Hiroki's face, Kudo sneered. "You know, the president of the club got a call from the president of Usami Corp. How else do you think that a nobody like Takahashi would have been invited to join?"

"When did this happen?" At this bit of new information, Hiroki's anger at Kudo was extinguished almost immediately .

"I don't know. Back a few months ago at the start of the semester, I guess."

As soon as the significance of this fully sank in, Hiroki lifted his glass and downed its contents in a few rapid chugs. He set it down to be filled again and as soon as the glass was refilled, picked it up and pushed himself away from the counter.

"I have to go, Kudo-san. Good to see you." Disrearding Kudo's own questioning expression, he headed off into the crowd of upper-class students milling around the apartment's main room. He was so lost in his thoughts he almost ran into another party-goer.

"Hey, watch where you're going, idiot!" a deep voice barked.

Looking up in surprise, Hiroki's brow furrowed immediately. He blushed when he realized he'd just bumped into the possessive gray-eyed youth who'd been smoking outside the building.

"Sorry, my mistake," he offered politely with a slight bow.

"You should be! How much sense does it take to look where you're walking?" Yokozawa snapped back.

Hiroki scowled fiercely. He'd apologized and they hadn't actually collided. His liquor-loosed tongue moved before he could stop it.

"What in the hell's your problem?"

The man Hiroki had been admiring outside the building now stood beside his antagonist. Takano snorted loudly and began to chuckle at this fiery retort. Both Hiroki and Yokozawa stared, startled by his unexpected outburst.

Looking at Hiroki, Takano's hard eyes momentarily softened. The fierce brunet was taller and broader than Oda* had been, but his build was similar enough. And though their eye coloring was markedly different, their hair coloring was separated by just shades. There was something in the man's scowl, however, his easy blush, and in his defensive display of anger in a situation where he was definitely outmatched that made Takano's heart ache with nostalgia.

Takano could see Yokozawa bristling dangerously. It almost seemed as though there was more to Takafumi's anger than the simple near collision.

"Come on, Yokozawa." He gave a light pull to his friend's arm. "I wanted a drink, not a brawl!"

Looking between the two men for a moment, it was as if Yokozawa was trying to decide which battle he wanted to engage in the most. When he saw the determination in Hiroki's gaze he decided to allow Takano to draw him away. He gave Hiroki a cold, dismissive glare and followed Takano to the bar.

Hiroki drew himself up, despite how disconcerted he felt. But the moment the two men were swallowed by the party's throng, he disappeared to find a quiet corner where he could think more clearly.

* * *

From the bar, Takano turned and watched Hiroki fade into the mass of chatting students. Seeing the brunet's response to Yokozawa had stirred him greatly. As he waited for his drink order to be filled, he reflected once again on his short but powerful relationship with the green-eyed boy who had stolen his heart. A bitter smile twisted his lips as he remembered how awkward Oda had seemed at first. But after they had been together for even just a short time, Takano had quickly learned his shy boy possessed quite the temper and would show it when provoked. Not to mention how delightfully he blushed whenever he was teased.

Fueling his already buzzed state with a few more hard swallows of good liquor, Takano felt a tug of desire and a sense of intrigue he'd not had for ages.

_Not love…_

He had determined he would never love anyone else than Oda. Besides, Takano was well aware that any real similarities between the man Yokozawa had almost bumped into and Oda was just an illusion fabricated by his wounded psyche…

_Still..._

Golden eyes scanned the room and he finally located the other man again. The guy had tucked himself into a corner and was standing there with an expression of sorrowful contemplation Takano knew all too well: he'd seen it enough times on his own face reflected in train windows or those of shops he was passing, and in the mirror almost every morning when he first greeted himself. Pushing himself away from the bar after watching the object of his current fancy through two quickly downed drinks, holding his third, Takano headed out across the floor.

He turned when he felt a hard grip on his arm and found himself staring into Yokozawa's turbulent gaze.

"Where are you going, Masamune?" Yokozawa had been studying Takano closely and already knew exactly where his friend was headed.

Takano shook the restraining hand off. "I am going to mingle."

When Yokozawa started to follow him out onto the floor, he turned back again sharply. "Don't follow me, Yokozawa. Just let me be on my own for a bit. You act like we're joined at the god damn hip sometimes!"

Yokozawa's eyes widened initially, but just as quickly they narrowed as he regained his trademark scowl. "Don't do this, Masamune." Though he growled this Yokozawa's tone was a tender mix of pleading and warning.

Takano just stared at him angrily. Seeing that his plea fell on deaf ears Yokozawa shook his head. Despite how hard his heart pounded, his stomach ached, he withdrew. "I need another drink." He turned back towards the bar.

Watching his friend leave something panged sharp in Takano's chest. He knew that Yokozawa cared about him.

 _Too much sometimes_.

Seeing the barely perceptible slump in his friend's proud shoulders, he felt guilty, but not enough… "I'll catch up with you in just a bit." he kept his voice light as he spoke to Yokozawa's retreating form.

Yokozawa raised a tired hand in acknowledgment without looking back. Takano sighed but still turned and headed off into the crowd towards Hiroki.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Takano thought Ritsu's surname was Oda/Ada originally, as that was the name Onodera wrote on his checkout cards at the library, we know Takano didn't realize Ritsu was "his" Ritsu when they met again years later. This is also why, in this fic, because of the timeline, Takano is now referring to Onodera as Oda when he is thinking of him. The narrator will still refer to Onodera as Onodera, however. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review. Good or bad, I appreciate the feedback.


	3. Introductions

So lost in his troubled thoughts, Hiroki didn't immediately acknowledge the figure that sidled up next to him. Then he felt the man brush against him just slightly.

Living in the crush of Tokyo, he was used to the press of people in stores, the train, on the streets. Despite this, he had a very strong sense of personal space and he found himself annoyed some idiot was invading it.

The young scholar looked over and was stunned to find the youth he'd admired earlier that evening leaning against the wall alongside him, now sans his gray-eyed guard dog. Studying the man's handsome face, there was something in his amber-eyed gaze that struck him as feline and slightly feral. If he was honest with himself, the effect was quite stirring. Scowling in response to this, Hiroki shifted his body down the wall  and away. However, he quickly realized to his chagrin, he'd now backed himself into a corner. Thankfully, the other youth stayed where he was.From his new location Hiroki once again regarded the other man.

His wall-bound companion said nothing, but when their eyes met again, he nodded before looking away. The party was getting into full swing now. Raising his glass to his sensual mouth, his bright eyes took in the events unfolding before him. "Takano," the guy said simply, without looking back at Hiroki.

It took Hiroki a minute to realize that this was the dark youth's name. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to this peculiar introduction but after a moment he offered back with only a slight hesitance, "Kamijou."

"Ah, look, Kamijou-san, I wanted to come over here and apologize for my friend's rude manner. Yokozawa is a bit rough around the edges."

Shifting from curiosity to something more guarded, Hiroki continued continued to study Takano. He wasn't stupid. While perhaps he didn't cut the figure Akihiko did, he knew, outside of his personality, he had a certain appeal. After all, he'd had his first experience of being cruised when he was fourteen and had done more than a bit of cruising himself since then.

Mirroring Takano's behavior, he looked away and out into the party. "Your friend should come over here and apologize himself." Hiroki took another drink from his glass before adding, "though I don't believe that's entirely why you're here."

Takano barked out a sharp laugh at this growled parry. Laughing was an automatic response he had to things that made him uncomfortable, one so ingrained he wasn't even aware of it.

He turned and looked back at Hiroki now. He admired the slightly smaller man's straightforward response, not knowing it was primarily the result of the drinks he'd consumed. Takano was pleased, however, to note that despite Kamijou's snappy assertion, the brunet was also blushing.

"I suppose you're right… on both counts," he admitted, then he asked casually: "So, Kamijou-san, are you a student at 'M'?"

"T."

Takano's eyebrows rose. That meant that Kamijou was sharp with more than his tongue. He found his mind drawn inextricably back to the other brilliant brown-haired boy that he'd known. Wishing to clear the image of Oda from his mind he suddenly found that he wanted Kamijou to meet his eyes again.

Hiroki didn't. Instead, he was now watching Akihiko across the room with particular intensity.

When the object of his interest failed to offer any additional small talk, Takano sighed.

"So what are you studying?"

"Literature," Hiroki said sullenly.

"Really? Me too." Takano hid his shock at the coincidence and kept his voice casual. "At 'M', I mean."

* * *

Across the room during a lull in an incredibly boring conversation on business that seemed to have the enthusiastic Takahiro completely enthralled, Akihiko made a quick scan of the party and noticed Hiroki speaking with one of the men they'd passed outside on their way into the building.

Dropping his gaze , he silently cursed. His own gaydar, though perhaps currently a bit more underutilized than Hiroki's, was equally acute. It troubled Akihiko that Hiroki was so active these days. Not that he didn't understand the raging fires of youthful sexuality, he just wished Hiroki was a bit more discriminating. In truth, there were times lately when Hiroki's actions struck the him as almost desperate. And while Akihiko worried about his best friend's conduct in terms of physical health, considering both disease and danger, he also just couldn't understand why Hiroki didn't value himself more.

Expelling a measured breath, Akihiko supposed that this judgment was a bit unfair. After all, it wasn't as though he was celibate. He hated himself whenever the burn of his body got too bright to handle things "on his own" and he found he needed the specific friction of flesh that required another. It made him feel so disloyal to his love for Takahiro.

But rather than picking up men as Hiroki did when he needed 'that kind' of release, buying a body was how Akihiko compensated for this.

It wasn't as if he _needed_ to pay for sex: men had been pursuing him since he was a child (women too for that matter, though in a much more age appropriate manner). Doing things his way, paying well and never using the same person twice, reduced the act to a simple transaction where no emotions needed to be involved. Besides, with the quality of the services he employed, he was assured cleanliness and the continuation of his own good health. In his transactions both participants got what they needed: his hormonal boil brought back down to a simmer, the other party monetary enrichment, and perhaps a measure of pleasure for both.

The system, when it was properly employed, struck Akihiko as quite civilized and far less complicated than Hiroki's furious antics.

It also pleased Akihiko to feel assured of the discretion of his liaisons as well. None of his former lovers would ever approach him publicly as Hiroki's occasionally did. Frowning lightly, Akihiko recalled the last time this happened when he and Hiroki had gone out drinking. Such scenes often lead to rather unpleasant commotions.

Still, he knew too that Hiroki currently couldn't afford to use the exclusive "escort" services that he himself favored. So, he generally refrained from criticizing his friend's behavior. Especially now Hiroki was paying such a great price for being a man on his own. Besides, comments to his very private comrade would certainly be seen as invasive and Akihiko had no wish to say something that might unknowingly hurt Hiroki's tender pride or endanger their relationship.

Shifting from his troublesome thoughts about Hiroki, Akihiko returned to gazing at his unrequited, basking in the pleasure Takahiro was getting from the evening's activities. This was one of the things he loved about Takahiro.

For Akihiko, this night was like hundreds of others in his life, but for his beloved, this experience was completely new and Takahiro, despite his best attempts to seem composed, glowed like a delighted child at being included in such an auspicious club. It was this innocence, this uncomplicated purity, which had first drawn him to Takahashi. Living the incestuous and suffocating life of aristocracy had poisoned Akihiko early on and he saw Takahiro as his antidote. Every genuine smile, every look of wonder (both of which Takahiro seemed to possess in an endless supply) was a healing balm for his society-blighted soul.

In addition to this, Akihiko had spent his whole life being despised for various reasons; beginning from the time he was a small child. It wasn't until he'd gotten older he'd been able to realize the majority of this had been undeserved. Takahiro was the only person in his life who seemed free from this particular inclination. Even Hiroki, though loyal to a fault, Akihiko suspected, disliked him greatly at times. The thought then that Takahiro might ever decide to join with all the other significant people in his life in this tormented Akihiko tremendously.

Considering this, he would have given up anything at this point if he thought it would make Takahiro happy, to ensure a place in the other man's good graces. Even if this meant never telling Takahiro how he felt regardless of the pain it caused. For this reason, Akihiko was determined to be content despite his heart's discomfort. No sooner finished these thoughts than Akihiko looked up again and his eyes met Hiroki's from their various corners of the room. He gave his friend a nod of acknowledgement. Then Akihiko took a cautious sip from his glass and he returned to conversing with the beaming Takahiro.

* * *

Across the room Takano's sharp eyes had witnessed the two "T" students' exchange.

"So are you with that guy?" He asked bluntly. Noting the way the silver-haired youth was looking at the spectacled man beside him, he doubted it. The unconscious wince Kamijou evinced in response to his question confirmed his suspicions much faster than Kamijou's words.

"We arrived together. That's it." Eyes still on Akihiko, Hiroki had to work to keep any tone of longing from entering his voice.

"He looks somehow familiar," Takano mumbled.

"Well, if you have any interest in contemporary literature perhaps you've read his book." Hiroki still did not look at Takano.

"Ah, that's it," Takano hummed. "Usami Akihiko, The Moon Bleeds Night.

"I started it, but never finished it… Not that is wasn't profound, it was just too lonely and I found the prose to be… um… how do I say this… Somehow monochromatic. It lacked color."

Takano smirked as, at his comment, Kamijou suddenly looked at him sharply. He watched the smooth forehead furrow and cheeks flush as the man considered how to respond.

"Well..." Hiroki's eyes narrowed as he looked at Takano carefully again. "Everyone has their own tastes,"

"And tell me, Kamijou-san, what are your tastes?" Takano's brow arched suggestively as he asked this. "I mean, are you more widely read than just this one author?" 

Hiroki's own brow furrowed further as he considered Takano's question. Both knew fully they were no longer not speaking about literature here. Gaze drifting back over to Akihiko. He was shocked to see Takano's protector amble over and slip easily into the crowd Akihiko was in. Soon Akihiko was chatting relatively amicably with Takano's guard.

"Within my preferred genre, my tastes are varied." The lie made Hiroki's tongue feel acidic. Even more biting however was seeing his earlier antagonist now fully engaged in a conversation with Akihiko. The tall bearish man, though still serious-looking, was presently conducting himself quite genially. Hiroki's fiery stare shifted and fixed itself back on Takano.

"And you?"

"I tend to pick up whatever interests me." Takano held Kamijou's gaze, delighted to see a new flood of color fill alcohol-pinked cheeks.

Dropping his eyes, Hiroki studied the bottom of his, once again, empty glass as he considered the offer. "I need another drink."

As soon as he'd uttered this, Takano downed the last of his own drink and then reached out and smoothly plucked the glass out of his hand, making sure their fingers brushed as he did.

"I'll get it. You wait here."

 Before Hiroki could protest, Takano headed back out into the mob.

* * *

Though Yokozawa's attentions had been much more focused on Hiroki that evening, the first time he'd seen the literature student's companion, he thought the tall, pale youth looked familiar. It hadn't taken long after that for Yokozawa to realize he recognized Usami Akihiko. He had recently begun an internship at Marukawa and had seen the man a few times on his errands to the literature division.

He'd also read Usami's novel. It had moved him considerably. Enough that he'd passed it along to Takano after he'd finished it.

Usami was in the charge of a young editor named Aikawa Eri. Yokozawa knew this because he'd gone out drinking with her for the first time about a week back. He wasn't looking for a relationhip or even a casual fuck, but success was all about making 'connections' and Aikawa was pretty, very smart, and she had asked him, so he'd agreed.

It turned out they'd had a great time talking publishing until Aikawa happened to mention Usami. After gushing rather profusely about the man's talents and then complaining about his difficult temperament she confided, "I so enjoy the company of gay men." This was after more than a few drinks, of course. Aikawa had looked meaningfully at Yokozawa as she continued, "This way a woman gets the pleasure of masculine presence with none of the sexual tension that's so distracting."

Yokozawa was a good reader of people. This was one of the things that had already helped him get ahead of the other interns he'd started with. Still, he was shocked when he realized that the driven young editor beside him was actually including him amongst that "company" and that this designation was probably the reason she'd felt comfortable asking him out in the first place.

His first inclination had been to vehemently deny, with a considerable amount of anger, that he was anything like her author. His second, was to ask her pointedly if she really thought he was gay and what he'd done to ever make her draw that conclusion. His third considered response involved pretending he didn't understand what she was saying and just remaining silent. Maybe even making a pass at her later to show Aikawa how wrong she was.

But was she? Yokozawa didn't really know if he was gay, the only thing he was certain of without any doubt was that he loved Takano Masamune.

In the end, he opted for the third response, forgoing the pass, because (or so he'd told himself at the time) he'd enjoyed Aikawa's company and didn't want to embarrass her. And he realized he use a friend right now who wasn't as intent on self-destruction as Takano seemed to be.

Shaking his head to clear his head, Yokozawa reluctantly returned to watching this self-destruction playing out before him.

He had been covertly observing Takano's interaction with the obnoxious brunet. During this time Yokozawa's attention had been caught by the way Takano's new companion's dark eyes kept drifting over to Usami, the man he'd arrived with. Likewise, he'd also noted how Usami was all but pressed to the side of the spectacled youth next to him. Certainly he must be observing some sort of triangle.

Wondering again about what drew such men, himself included, to such unnatural attachments, he sighed,: it was all so sordid.

Yokozawa cursed under his breath. Despite how hard he seemed to others, his heart was actually a rather fragile thing and he secretly couldn't bear the idea that one of his interventions would eventually result with Takano withdrawing from him or ending their friendship. And as much as he wished he could confront Takano, pull him away from this place; he also knew, at this point, he'd never be able to do so without a devastating scene **.**

Still, this didn't mean he had to stand idly by. Looking over at Usami, Yokozawa imagined he couldn't tempt the author away from the side of the man he was with (not that he really wanted to), but he wasn't above seeing if he couldn't pull his competition's chain a bit.

Slipping easily into the crowd around Usami, after a brief introduction and the connection to Marukawa had been forwarded and cards exchanged, Yokozawa quietly began discussing publishing with Usami. Though he could tell that the author wasn't really all that interested in their conversation, Usami did seem momentarily grateful for the distraction from the ongoing conversation on economics.

Not that Yokozawa cared one way or the other. The true moment he'd been waiting for arrived just a moment later, when Usami wasn't looking at him but had glanced back at the obvious object of his affections. Yokozawa turned then and caught the keen, dark stare of this evening's nemesis. He raised his glass slowly in pointed salute, a grim smile painted on his fierce face.

Yokozawa watched the crease form on his opponent's handsome forehead. Across the room the brunet rolled his eyes and shook his head. At this, Yokozawa's blatant grin became much more genuine and certainly more satisfied.

Clearly rritated by such a blatant ploy Takano's pick up turned and walked away from the wall he'd been leaning against. Yokozawa watched with curiosity as the brunet ducked under a silk sash that the host had tied to keep his guests from going into the second level of the flat. The man climbed the stairs and a moment later disappeared down a darkened hallway.

Seeing this, Yokozawa politely excused himself from the conversation and made his way back over to the bar where Takano now stood waiting for his glasses to be refilled.

"Hey, Masamune…" He slid in next to Takano at the bar. "I've had enough of this place. Let's go."

"On the contrary," Takano murmured, a slight thickness forming on the edge of his words, "things are just starting to get interesting,"

This confirmed Yokozawa's earlier suspicion Takano had been drinking long before he'd shown up to meet him. "Yeah, well, good luck on your own then. Your new 'friend' has left."

"What?" Crispness suddenly returned to Takano's voice as he whirled around and began to frantically scan the party looking for Kamijou.

"Come on, he's gone. Let's just go!" Yokozawa urged. He should have known better, however, than to think that Takano would leave so easily.

In fact, his words had done just the opposite of their intended effect. They stirred up all the emotions Takano had relating to Oda's flight, his first true love's abandonment, leaving him suddenly frantic.

"What the hell did you do, Yokozawa?"

Despite the fact he was surprised by his friend's response, Yokozawa's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean _what did I do_? How could I have done anything? After the idiot ran into me I haven't been within twenty feet of him."

Takano regarded his friend suspiciously. He didn't buy it. He knew Yokozawa would do what he could to keep him protected from whatever he perceived as a danger.

"So you saw him leave then. Right? Where'd he go?"

"I have no idea," Yokozawa lied, but before he could stop himself his eyes flicked over in the direction of the stairs.

"Uh huh," Takano took a deep drink from his glass and pushed away from the bar heading in the direction Yokozawa's eyes led him.

"Takano!"

 Takano growled back before disappearing into the crowd,"I have to find him!"

 _How often have I heard those words?_ Yokozawa wondered, though usually Takano was drunk and barely conscious when he uttered them.

He watched with a growing sense of despair as Takano slipped under the sash and up the stairs. Yokozawa knew that whether his friend found the brunet or not… either way, Takano wasn't going to find what it really was he was looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.


	4. Reunion

After opening a few doors in the darkened upstairs of the flat, Hiroki found the bathroom. Normally doing something like this, disrespecting the boundaries of a host he didn't even know, would have been unthinkable, but tonight was somehow different.

Staggering slightly, he made his way to the sink. Here, he dashed his face with cold water hoping it would sharpen his senses. Hiroki knew he was more than a little drunk; otherwise he wouldn't have tempted fate by entertaining Takano's flirtation, especially when the man was so obviously taken.

_Whether Takano-san knows this or not._

Hiroki breathed a sigh of relief; he was lucky to have escaped the situation undamaged.

 _That gray-eyed giant, what did Takano-san call him? Ah, yes, Yokozawa..._ Hiroki wasn't a coward by any means, but he had no desire to tangle with someone like that. _That guy's a bad-ass and definitely not thrilled with his boyfriend's actions._

Taxed mind fumbling as what to do next, Hiroki wondered if he should just stagger off and call a taxi to return to him to his apartment. But cabs were expensive and his pockets tight right now. He was conscious enough of the state he was in that, at the moment, he didn't really trust himself to public transit either. He could approach Akihiko, who would no doubt leave the party to take him home. However, Hiroki couldn't bear the idea of appearing so flustered in front of that idiot Takahiro, or the quiet reproach and look of disappointment that such a request would undoubtedly draw from Akihiko.

_Akihiko._

Hiroki ran his still-wet hands through his unruly hair. There was another reason he was unwilling to face Akihiko at the moment; it had to do with the information he'd been given by Kudo.

As long as Hiroki had known Akihiko, they'd both shared a passion for the written word. As they had gotten older and the expectations of their families had become more apparent, they had bonded further in their deep commitment to literature.

Over the last few years they had determined to both major in literature at "T", despite the fact that Hiroki's father had demanded he go into business, while the senior Usami dictated law as Akihiko's path. As Akihiko's father made similar threats as his own, together, the two of them had planned how they would navigate their reduced states to pursue what they loved. They'd even talked about rooming together in the dorms or maybe sharing a small apartment.

Despite the struggles they would undoubtedly face, Hiroki had been delighted with their plotting, because it meant he would be living with the object of his affections. Akihiko had been enamored with the idea because it meant he would finally "get" to live like regular, average people. But Hiroki had nurtured tender hopes that, after a time co-habitating, his friend would come to understand just how natural it was for them to be together.

Then a few months back, Akihiko's grandfather Usami had unexpectedly died in an auto collision in England. Speeding down some back-country road in an inebriated state in one of his sports cars he had a rather unfortunate encounter with a herd of sheep. On his demise, the patriarch of Akihiko's mother's clan had left a considerable amount in trust to his only (if not favorite) grandchild.

Now Akihiko lived in a flat not much different than this one. He'd graciously invited Hiroki to live with him on several occasions, but Hiroki hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. No matter how much he might have wanted to, his pride just wouldn't allow it. There was no way he could have paid for his fair share and he was no freeloader, neither was he a charity case.

Trying not to begrudge the shift in their fates, Hiroki had drawn comfort from the fact that they would at least be majoring together, sharing classes, and collaborating on projects, studying side by side. So he had been mystified, not to mentioned crushed, when after first term registration, he'd learned that Akihiko had, with no warning, suddenly switched his major to law.

When he had furiously confronted Akihiko about this sudden shift in focus, his best friend's response had remained enigmatic. All Akihiko would say was that he and his father "had reached an understanding."

Now it was Hiroki who had reached the understanding.

With what Kudo disclosed to him that evening, everything fell into place. One didn't need to be brilliant to figure it out. Takahiro wanted to join an exclusive economics club; the senior Usami wanted his son to study law and Akihiko wanted anything that would make Takahiro happy. Hiroki knew that it would have required a stellar recommendation for Takahashi to have even been considered.

 _So, the President of Usami Corp. calls on his behalf and Akihiko suddenly changes his major._ Hiroki wondered if Takahashi was even aware of the sacrifice his smitten friend had made for him. _Knowing Akihiko, I doubt it._

Sitting down on the edge of the bath, elbows on his knees, head in his hands, a wave of sorrow engulfed Hiroki, bringing tears to his eyes. This was followed by another crushing swell of anger. In his compromised state, he knew the best thing he could do at the moment would be to just stay put for a while. At least until he could compose himself.

_But do I really want to regain my composure?_

Temper burning white hot, Hiroki was so tired of Akihiko's idiocy. The way he felt right now, he knew he could easily be enticed in making into a nasty scene.

 _But maybe this is what the bastard needs… for Akihiko to see how fruitless all this sacrifice for Takahiro is and for Takahashi to see what Akihiko is really after_.

Hiroki understood he was drunk enough he could easily lower his pride right now and make a fool out of himself out in the other room. After all, considering the tremendous sense of betrayal he felt, wondered how his pride could possibly be more injured.   _Besides, isn't this what I've been doing with Akihiko for years now anyway? Playing the fool?_   _After all the years of scheming and dreaming. The pact we made with each other..._

Hiroki pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand. He hated himself, his own idiocy. Even worse, despite what he now knew and how furious he was, he still wanted Akihiko.

_But maybe…_ _Maybe tonight I've finally reached my limit. Maybe tonight is the night I tell that ignorant English-raised ass how I feel._

Pushing himself up, Hiroki swayed ever so slightly and headed towards the door.

* * *

Moving across the room, oblivious to the other party goers around him, Takano acknowledged to himself Yokozawa had been right in his earlier assessment: he'd had more than a few beers before they had even met up that evening. He was also heavily aware that this, combined with his newest ingestions, had set dangerous emotions free  within him: his twin wolves of sorrow and anger actively prowling now.

Still, even though he recognized this, Takano didn't heed the danger. Reaching the other side of the room, he headed purposefully up the stairs in search of his brunet. He suddenly stopped himself and shook his head. Not 'his'… 'the'… _his_ brunet had disappeared months ago.

For the millionth time Takano remembered the first time he'd seen Oda. It wasn't the day that the younger boy confessed. He had actually been aware of the cute freshman for weeks in the library, watching Oda reading and watching Oda watch him. Without Oda Ritsu even knowing, the stalker became the stalked. He was just so much better at hiding his observations that Oda never had a clue. Yet, despite his own reconnaissance, the obviously nervous boy's straightforward confession had stunned him.

At first Takano wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing. Not that being admired was new. In high school he'd had a girl confessing to him at least once a week, it seemed. In the midst of his apathetic teenage existence, however, that Oda, a boy, had been so obviously admiring him was new and, Takano eventually admitted, really quite intriguing.

The openness and the intensity with which _his_ brunet spoke had won him over far more quickly than Takano would ever be comfortable admitting. That was part of what had made Oda's disappearance so devastating, it just seemed so out of character.

_I still have no idea w_ _hat in the hell happened?_

With a sudden flush of shame, Takano recalled how, when he initially discovered Oda's innocence, the boy's mild, privileged life, and good-heartedness; he wanted to crush his admirer. In the midst of this, instead, he'd fallen hopelessly and completely in love with his sweet brunet and what had started as a cruel whim ended up crushing him instead.

He had opened his heart without even realizing how closed it had been previously. With his family falling apart, he had been adrift and Ritsu had provided a desperately desired anchor. Once that was gone, he'd found himself drifting away even further. And now he was completely lost.

 _I truly loved you, Oda Ritsu. So how the fuck does a brat like you get off leaving me without a word?_ Takano sorrow and anger suddenly threatened to swallow him as easily as the liquor he'd just downed.

Once upstairs, he began pushing open doors. One thing Takano knew after his devastating experience with Oda was that he was done with being abandoned… By anyone, even a stranger. The feelings inside him grew stronger with every empty room he encountered.

_No, this one isn't getting away so easily._

No sooner had he thought this,  than the new door he was standing in front of suddenly opened and standing there before him was Kamijou.

* * *

When he opened the door, Hiroki started with shock seeing Takano there. What stunned him even more, however, was to suddenly feel large hands cupping his jaw with a grasping strength, and a hot mouth crushing his.

Pushing Hiroki back into the bathroom, Takano kicked the door closed behind him.

Scotch met whiskey, and alcoholic passions collided. Each man expressing his fury in that moment with lips and teeth and tongue, tender lips immediately became swollen, bruised, as their mouths battled and gasped against each other.

Hiroki's hands gripped Takano's wrists as the taller man continued to push him backwards, until he felt his back pressed against the wall. Growling into Takano's mouth, Hiroki felt a knee move between his legs and a hard thigh press against his groin. In his anger-fevered state, his dick quickened instantly in response to the pressure. Now that he had the wall for leverage, however, his hands left Takano's wrists and moved to the "M" student's chest pushing him back.

Takano was surprised by the shorter man's strength. Kamijou shoved him to an arm's length away, furious dark eyes blazing.

"What the hell are you doing?" Hiroki demanded, as though he hadn't just been kissing Takano back. Staring into rich, honeyed eyes, in contrast to the heavy sweetness of their color, his pursuer's expression was exceptionally bitter.

"This is your punishment, Kamijou-san." Takano had planned to say this with a measure of humor, but when the words left his lips, he was shocked at the sincerity with which they were delivered. "It was very rude of you to leave without at least saying goodbye."

Hiroki too was startled by the emotion contained in the words. Then he remembered one of the reasons he'd left the party and his dark eyes narrowed. "What about that other guy, Yokozawa? He seemed pretty attached to you."

Takano laughed and tried to keep his voice light. "He's just a friend."

Seeing the skepticism in Kamijou's eyes, he stretched his long arms out, placing his palms on the wall on either side of the wild brown head, ignoring the heated palms still pressing him back. "Okay," Takano conceded with a quiet laugh. "So, we're sex friends but it really is nothing more than that."

"Ha!" Hiroki barked. _You should tell him that._

Takano just grinned and cocked an eyebrow. "So?" he challenged.

Hiroki's brow furrowed. He had tasted cigarettes on Takano's tongue in addition to the whiskey the other young man had consumed.

 _Takano-san is the right height and his build is close enough. If I close my eyes_ …

It certainly wouldn't be the first time he had sought a stand in for Akihiko. Gazing into Takano's amber eyes, Hiroki's rage at how much Akihiko possessed him still, despite what he knew, crested again within his chest and threatened to drown his heart.

Then he flashed on Yokozawa's threatening salute. Though he realized it was low of him,  the sudden desire to possess something that someone else longed for overwhelmed Hiroki. Maybe he couldn't make Takahiro go away or make Akihiko love him, but he could take this man here… knowing all the while, there was another hungry for him in the other room.

At this realization, in his inebriated state, the opportunity presented to him quickly slipped from dangerous to desirable. Hiroki's eyes narrowed as Takano continued to smirk.

 _Cocky bastard._ Hiroki smirked. _Well, I've dealt with this type before and there's one way to cure that._ Staring unblinking into Takano's eyes, he began to slowly bend his elbows. His hands shifted from pushing away to grasping and pulling towards.

Takano pressed forward each inch he was given until, finally, their bodies were pressed tightly together. His forearms were now flat against the wall. His mouth sought Kamijou's and he laughed when Kamijou moved his head away.

"What's this?" His uncomfortable low chuckle filled the room. "Feeling shy now?"

Hiroki snorted at such practiced smoothness. "I don't like kissing. That's an act I generally reserve for someone I _care_ for." Hiroki worried for a moment that his voice, while not slurred, sounded slightly uneven.

"Is that a confession?" Takano asked teasingly.Hiroki's eyes were fierce and there was not an ounce of play in his voice.

"No, it's a ground rule."

"What do you call what we were just doing a few minutes ago then?"

Hiroki growled, looking away and blushing,"you surprised me."

Takano quirked an incredulous brow, "But fucking's okay?"

"Yeah, sucking and fucking are fine. But no more kissing on the mouth. You have a problem with that?"

Takano's feline eyes glinted wickedly. He answered by leaning his shaggy dark head down and sucking Hiroki's earlobe into his mouth. He felt Kamijou shiver beneath him.

"Just your lips are off limits though. Right? I can kiss you anywhere else I want?" Takano punctuated his questions with a hard nipping kiss placed just at the base of Kamijou's ear.

Takano was startled when he felt Kamijou's hands reach up on the outside of his arms and grab his wrists again. He allowed the other to take his hands and he was surprised to feel them guided them to the front of Kamijou's trousers.

"I can see by your continued questions you're going to keep babbling on unless your mouth is busy. Hiroki snarled, emboldened by the liquor coursing through his veins, "so shut up and suck me,"

Takano cocked his head to the side. _Yeah, this is definitely not my brunet._ But Kamijou's fury stirred something primal in him.

"Take off your shirt." Takano growled his command, even as he sank down to his knees: he was not going to follow direction without directing as well. He began undoing Kamijou's pants.

Hiroki sighed and loosened his tie; he began pulling his shirttails out of his now open waist band.

Takano stopped in his motions watching the man pulling the shirt off over his head. "Holy fuck!"

He would have never guessed the glory hidden beneath the "T" student's clothes. Kamijou was no mere mealy academic: his body was that of a trained athlete: lean abdomen was sculpted tight, rippling in all the right places; his pectorals holding a pleasing hard swell. As Takano looked up, Kamijou smirked down at him. Takano's own cock pumped fuller as he watched Kamijou's hands slide across his chest and begin pinching dark brown nipples.

"Kendo, swimming, and track since grade school," Hiroki stated simply, reveling in Takano's awed stare.

Aware he was gaping, Takano dropped his gaze back down. He hurried to finish removing Kamijou's trousers, anxious now to see what other treasures the "T" student was hiding.

"Shit!" Takano choked when Kamijou's magnificent cock was revealed. His eyes widened with appreciation. "I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover."

Throwing the stunned man's earlier line back at him, Hiroki barked a bitter laugh, "Not unless you pick it up…" His laugh was cut short, however, and turned into a growling moan when Takano's mouth suddenly enveloped him.

It seemed the story Takano's eager tongue began to tell, also had a few unexpected twists.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Really appreciate the kudos too!


	5. Positions

Mere moments later found Hiroki naked and gasping.

He was aware of the feel of the plastered wall behind him, its slightly textured surface scraping his naked shoulders and ass as they pressed against it.

Fingers tangled in the thick black mane of the head skillfully bobbing below his waist, at some point Takano's shirt had come off and Hiroki had one leg draped over a broad, bare shoulder.

Takano had a firm grip on the base of his cock, stroking as he all but deep-throated him.

Even in this, the guy was an arrogant tease.

Twice now he'd already brought Hiroki to the edge, only to slide him out of the sheath of his throat before he reached the point of no return. Both times Takano did this, he'd immediately transferred his licking, alcohol-induced affections to Hiroki's tender sac and the inside of his thighs until the boil was simmering again.

By now, however, Hiroki had grown wise to this trick and was not about to be frustrated a third time. He wanted to come badly. Earlier, he'd had his hands flat against the wall, using them to support himself against Takano's vigorous oral onslaught. This time however, when Takano went to pull back, the fingers now entwined in his inky hair grasped tighter.

Lifting his eyes, Takano's forehead creased with annoyance at the unexpected restraint. His amber gaze met Kamijou's and he saw the other man's eyes were filled with lustful fury.

"Not so fast, asshole. I want to come," Hiroki growled.

Normally and Takano would have had no problem thrashing Kamijou for his bad manners and rude address, but they had formed a strange and immediate intimacy in their shared states of inebriated anguish. So, rather than be offended, he found himself amused.

In truth, he was an asshole. It was a persona he'd carefully crafted, a finely forged armor that had taken him years to assemble, a blind behind which an infinitely tender and terribly wounded heart was hidden.

Grinning around Hiroki's cock, Takano raised one eyebrow in challenge. They were both acutely aware that, though it might seem in their current positions his was the subservient posture; he was really the one with the power here.

Takano growled deep in his throat in response to Kamijou's demand.

The vibrations of this rumble sent a jolt to Hiroki's already stirred senses.

"Fuck!" Hiroki gasped at this sensation, tipping his head back, colliding with the wall behind him.

Takano's eyes glinted slyly in victory before he dropped his eyes and, with false obedience, resumed his motions. The rumble in his throat continued and he hummed around Kamijou's shaft.

The sensation of this was like nothing Hiroki had previously experienced, and with this kind of intense attention it didn't take long.

"Ahhhhh, good fuck!"

Hiroki's balls hitched and his cock at last boiled over, shooting jets of hot seed into Takano's mouth. Takano held him until his cock's twitching subsided.

As the tension left his body, Hiroki's fingers relaxed. Pushing Hiroki's a still quivering thigh off his shoulder, Takano pulled out of his now loose-fingered grasp, leaned over, and spat the seed in his mouth into the toilet beside them.

"What?" Hiroki taunted, "you're not going to swallow?"

A wicked humor lit Takano's eyes as he licked the remaining traces of come from his bottom lip. "I never swallow on the first date."

"I'd hardly call this a date." Hiroki snorted. "That, or you think I have incredibly low standards."

"So what would you call it then?" Takano asked quietly, running a broad palm over one of Kamijou's sweaty thighs.

Hiroki's voice betrayed his bitterness,"I'd call it a random fuck."

Looking in to the "T" student's dark eyes, Takano saw his own pain reflected back at him. He shrugged. "Okay, then. Let's get to it."

Takano lifted a lean leg again to drape a bent knee over his shoulder once more. Then he leaned in and placed a sucking kiss on the inside of Kamijou's thigh with such intensity it left a dark mark behind.

Hiroki's eyes widened watching Takano put two fingers in his mouth, slicking them with his spit. Takano then slipped his hand between his scissored legs and a slick digit pressed against his entrance.

At Takano's touch Hiroki hissed. Locking eyes with the kneeling man before him, Hiroki drew his draped leg up and braced a bare foot against Takano's shoulder. Setting aside his shock, for an instant, at the realization his socks had somehow been displaced in their earlier antics, he pushed back, halting the action.

"Who says you get to fuck me?"

"What?" Takano growled. "You're the one who said this was just a random fuck."

"How do you know I wasn't talking about me fucking you?" Hiroki growled back.

"You just came! You're in no state to stick me!"

"Give me ten minutes."

Hearing this Takano raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"If that," Hiroki amended.

The look on Takano's face moved from disbelief to admiration. "Seriously?"

"I'm not the kind of person who jokes around much… About anything."

Takano found, despite his annoyance, that the corners of his mouth turned up at Kamijou's truthful admission. "And here my first impression of you was that you were so lighthearted."

One corner of Hiroki's mouth twitched. It was the closet to a smile Takano had seen from him so far.  It dropped away quickly however. They stared at each other then, neither man blinking, each waiting for the other to bend.

"I'm not saying I'm going to let you fuck me… " Takano said finally. Feeling daring he added, "Yet…"

"But in the meantime, if you won't let me take you, what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" He nodded down. His pants were open and his erect cock jutted out. He'd been stroking himself occasionally while he'd sucked Hiroki off.

SeeingTakano's taut dick, large and dewed with precum, Hiroki could feel himself starting to stir again already. "I suppose you want me to return the favor and suck you..." There was an alcoholic tint to Hiroki's tone, but in Takano's own buzzed state, he didn't notice.but

"But I'd rather watch you jack off."

"Yeah. Well, I'd like to fuck that smart mouth of yours." Takano met Kamijou's gaze evenly. He stared back and was surprised when the other man didn't move. When he understood that Kamijou didn't truly plan to, he grunted.

"Stubborn bastard."

Still, he wanted to cone and with the intensity of those dark eyes upon him, he wasn't opposed to putting on a show. Takano spat into one of his own hands and allowed it to drift down and take up stroking his rigid cock. After a few moments, he stopped.

He pulled his hand away and offered his slicked open palm to Hiroki. "If you're not going to suck me, at least help a guy out."

Hiroki looked at Takano's hand with distaste.

"Think of it as another form of an indirect kiss,"Takano taunted, "from that chaste mouth of yours,"

Finally Hiroki leaned his head down and spat in the proffered palm, their spit mingling in a way he found unsettlingly intimate. With this, Takano dropped his hand again, and resumed his stroking. His eyes soon became completely absorbed in the drama of his own flesh.

Hiroki stood over him watching, his bare foot still pressed against Takano's shoulder, his hand taking up his own reviving member. Through eyes heavy-lidded with lust, observing Takano's deft motions, Hiroki couldn't help but wryly remark, "You're pretty good at that. You must get a lot of practice."

Takano, though he was nearing his pinnacle, still managed to snort.

"Asshole."

Then with a few more skilled rapid flicks of his wrist, his head tipped back. His handsome brow furrowed as he grimaced with his climax.

Spurts of milky fluid erupted, coating Takano's hand and shooting glistening strands as high as his nipples; subsequent spasms webbed his low stomach. He sat there panting a minute.

Hiroki found the heaving of Takano's flat belly as erotic as watching the other man pleasure himself.

He hadn't even had the chance for his rapidly beating heart to slow down, when Takano suddenly felt the foot on his shoulder begin to push him slowly over backwards. Before he knew exactly what had happened, he on his back on the floor, his arms pinned by Kamijou's knees, the naked youth sitting on his chest.

"Now back to the matter of who's fucking who," Hiroki grinned. It was a rare expression and Takano realized his handsome face was truly not well suited for smiles. Peering down his chest, away from the disconcerting smile, Takano saw that the man atop him was hard again.

The vision of Kamijou's beautiful cock and the feel of his naked ass and his balls heating the flesh of his own bare chest, warming the places where he'd just been aware of the cooling traces of his own come was overwhelming.  If he hadn't just shot his load, Takano thought this image, and the sense of skin against skin might have been enough in itself to make him lose it immediately.

"Unfair." Downplaying the arousal he felt, Takano said coolly, "I seem to find myself in a rather disadvantaged position at the moment." He gazed with feigned annoyance into Kamijou's furious dark eyes.

"On the contrary…" Hiroki leaned over and whispered into his ear, "I think your position is perfect."

"Fuck you," Takano growled without malice.

Hiroki snorted. "Not happening."

Countering this smug assertion,Takano bucked up with his hips.

Leaning over the taller man, Hiroki was already a bit off center. With his sense of balance already compromised by drink, he tumbled.

Suddenly they were both vying for physical dominance. Wildly they grappled with each other on the cool tiled floor.

Legs caught in his loosened trousers, Takano kicked to extricate himself from their hindrance. In the flail of muscular limbs he was unsure if Kamijou was assisting or attacking, but within moments both of them were naked.

Rough breaths and curses echoed off the walls of the large bathroom as fingers clenched flesh and knees pressed tender junctions. Youthful hides soon slicked with sweat, angular chins, lean arms, tight shoulders, and chests collided; bony hips and firm asses bumped. Newly filled cocks roughly brushed panting bellies in their sexual combat.

In the end, their positions were reversed, Takano now pinning Hiroki. Light bruises and pinked abrasions were visible on both where their flesh had scraped as they'd struggled against the slate-tiled floor.

Both Hiroki and Takano were vigorously panting.  Now fully drunk on their own bodies' potent chemical cocktail, a fine blend of aggression and arousal, their wild eyes sparkled.

Takano leered down on Kamijou in triumph.

Hiroki exhaled in reluctant surrender. "God damn it."

This set Takano laughing, but the pleasure of his victory was cut short when Kamijou's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"You've got condoms, right?"

Now it was Takano's turn to curse. "God damn it!"

"Seriously?" A dark gaze pinned Takano just as surely as he was sitting on the man below him.

Hiroki barked with pleasure at this turn of events,"then I win!"

"You have them then, I suppose?"

"Never leave home without them," Hiroki replied smugly.

Takano wasn't ready to concede just yet. "Don't suppose you'd care to share them?"

"In my view, you proposition a guy without thinking about protection, you deserve to get fucked." Hiroki said this with conviction, but then his gravelly voice then became somehow simultaneously serious and wicked.

"Think about this as a lesson in _safe sex_."

"Fuck."

Takano sighed. The responsible part of him knew Kamijou was right, but to be honest, he'd cared so little for his own life since Oda disappeared it was something he rarely considered.

Picking himself up off Kamijou, Takano stood. He moved over to the vanity and leaned over, placing his palms down on the smooth stone surface of the counter.

"You've done this before, right?" Hiroki asked. "Bottomed, I mean?"

Takano was sharply moved by the concerned tone of Kamijou's query. He nodded.

It was true; he had, several times, with Yokozawa in fact, though not recently. Just one more thing in the long list of failed experiments he'd been willing to try, looking for anything that might fill the void in him left by Oda's abandonment.

Hiroki scrambled up. Retrieving his pants from the floor, he pulled a foiled square wrapper from out of his pocket. Takano watched him skillfully sheathed his cock with both hunger and apprehension.

"Is it my imagination or did you just get bigger somehow?" Just the barest trace of nervousness was noticeable beneath Takano's light tone.

Hiroki didn't answer, but the comment stirred a spark of amusement in his embered eyes. He moved over and pressed up behind Takano, sliding a hand down the "M" student's back and over Takano's firm ass. Takano growled when he punctuated this sensual stroke with a light smack against his ass cheek.

The hard length of the Kamijou's cock brushed against Takano as the man leaned over his back and opened the mirrored cabinet in front of them.

"What are you doing?"

Not only was the action of rummaging through their host's cupboards intrusive, but now that he'd reconciled himself to the fact that he was the one who was going to be fucked, his body was suddenly aching to be penetrated.

Hiroki's keen eyes roved over dozens of chemical concoctions. "I'm looking for something to grease you with, Idiot!"

"What about that?" Takano nodded to a bottle of something he'd used before in a pinch.

"That's oil based," Hiroki mumbled, reaching past it for a vial of something else.

"So?"

"So? So oil based lube breaks down the latex and makes it permeable." Hiroki shut the door and regarded Takano in its mirrored surface. A disapproving crease formed on his brow. "That's like safe sex one o' one. How can you not know that?"

"Thank you for the lecture, Professor," Takano snarled. "I can tell you're quite the expert."  Desperate now to be filled, to be momentarily obliterated, he continued to goad.

"Are you going to stand there talking all night or are going to actually get around to fucking me sometime soon?"

Dropping the vial on the counter, Hiroki's long fingers suddenly wound through Takano's thick hair. He used this grip to pull the inky head back towards him.

Hiroki placed his mark-making mouth on the back of Takano's neck. His hand not tangled in the "M" student's hair, drifted around and pinched a dark nipple in a way that made Takano gasp.

Moving his mouth higher, Hiroki breathed in Takano's ear, "lecture's over." He twisted the nub of nipple between his fingers for another sweet gasp. 

"Now it's time for the physical demonstration. Where you'll have the chance to see this _expertise_ in action."

At these words, Takano's hard cock started leaking. Though his eyes were shut against the blissfully sharp pinch of his nipple and the burn of his scalp where his hair was being pulled, he still couldn't help but challenge.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmmmm," Hiroki murmured in affirmation placing a hard nip to Takano's neck, just below his ear. "I'm going to fuck you so sweetly you're going to come without even having to touch yourself."

At the feel of hot breath on his neck and the confidence in Hiroki's deep voice, a tremor of anticipation rippled through Takano that trembled him from crown to cock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and hope you'll consider leaving a comment.


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